7 Tips for Maximizing Space in Every Room At Home

Real estate is expensive. Whether you rent an apartment or pay a monthly mortgage, there’s no sense in wasting the square footage you have. Sadly, this is what most post people inadvertently do. To fully utilize every space in every room of your home, you need to think outside of the box.

Here are some practical tips to get you moving in the right direction.

1. Get Rid of Clutter

One of the single biggest constricting forces when it comes to space is clutter. It shrinks the size of a room, kills efficiency, and makes it very difficult for you to fully relax and enjoy your home. In order to maximize space and simultaneously make each room in your home more functional, the clutter has to go. Here’s how you can go about eliminating clutter.

First, you have to eliminate the clutter you already have. One good strategy is to walk through your home with a pen and paper and write down the purpose(s) of each room. In other words, what takes place in this room? Then, reorganize around these purposes. If something doesn’t relate to the desired activities of the space, move it to another room or get rid of it.

Second, there has to be a strategy for slowing the accumulation of possessions. “To live is to consume,” says Joshua Becker, bestselling author of The More of Less. “It cannot be avoided – especially in our society and culture. But if the influx of possessions into our homes can be slowed down, clutter can be managed efficiently.” A fundamental shift needs to occur in your mind so that purchases are evaluated differently. Always ask yourself whether or not you really need the item you’re purchasing.

2. Maximize Vertical Space

Most people do a pretty good job of filling floor space with furniture, but very few people take advantage of vertical space. It’s essentially empty space in most homes, but can be cleverly used to maximize useable space.

Here are a few simple and practical suggestions:

• Stack things. Stacking has long been a favorite practice for saving space. The good news is that there are stackable products for just about every room. This includes washer and dryer sets, home office filing cabinets, and more.

• Bunk beds. In a kid’s bedroom, bunk beds can be used to save a lot of space. You could also loft the top bed and remove the bottom one. The floor space underneath the bed can then be used as a workstation or storage area. Another idea is to add a trundle bed or storage drawers under a regular bed to make the most of the space underneath.

• Modular storage. Whether in the kitchen, laundry room, garage, or a large closet, modular storage solutions are an excellent way to save space in an organized manner.

These are just some of the different ways in which you can maximize vertical space. With a bit of imagination, there’s a lot more you can do.

3. Scale the Bedroom Accordingly

A common complaint people make is about the size of their bedrooms. And while some bedrooms are certainly smaller than others, there are ways to work within the confines of any space – you just have to get creative.

“Nothing will overcrowd a bedroom like a dresser or armoire that is too big for the room,” says Martha Ostegar, a home décor specialist. “Furniture with curves takes up valuable space, so keep your choices sleek with straight lines. If you need the storage space that large furniture provides, tall, slim pieces are the way to go.”

4. Increase Floor Space in Home Study

A home study isn’t something everyone is able to have, but – if you do – space maximization is paramount. One of the best pieces of advice is to use an L-shaped desk in a corner of the room. This gives you two different work surfaces without taking up much of the room. There are also a number of furniture solutions that double as storage units, so take advantage of these.

5. Use the Illusion of Lighting

Sometimes the only thing you can do is create the illusion of space. This is powerful enough to actually make you feel like there’s more room in your home. And while there are a lot of design techniques that cleverly convince the mind into thinking a space is bigger than it actually is, lighting is the best tool at your disposal.

One idea is to draw the eyes upward. When the eye is told to look up and down, as opposed to horizontally, rooms appear more spacious. “Try placing lighting fixtures higher up in the room,” Light Logic suggests. “This could include wall sconces, overhead lighting, and taller lamps. Take the focus off the actual width of the room and push people’s vision upward.”

Another is to use light, bright colours for your walls and sheer curtains to allow plenty of natural light to come in.

6. Open Up Hallways

When attempting to maximize space in your home, resist the temptation to fill up every little nook and cranny. Sometimes the best thing you can do is actually leave a space empty. It makes the home feel bigger and less crowded. This suggestion often makes sense in narrow hallways. Too often, people will try to fit tables, benches, and other accessories into hallways that really don’t have room for them. This constricts the flow of traffic and makes everything feel smaller. Remember that hallways are designed for the purpose of moving between rooms. Avoid placing too much pressure on these spaces.

One way to use the space without eating up floor space is to invest in a wall-mounted dining table or work desk. Better yet, this should be foldable, so you can make room once you're done with eating or work.

7. Ditch the Tub

Bathtubs take up a lot of precious space in bathrooms. Unless a tub is absolutely necessary – such as for small children – it’s smart to replace it with a standing shower with glass doors. Not only does the standing shower reduce the overall footprint, but the glass doors create an appearance of more space. In other words, it practically and visually increases the functionality of the room.

These are just some of the ways in which you can utilize your space better. If there are any ideas that have worked for you, do share them below in the comments section.